It used to be we “signed in” at the dentist by exchanging pleasantries with the folks behind the desk, but that was so 20th Century. Now we’re confronted with an iPad sporting a form:
Pop Quiz: Assuming you filled in your birthdate and remembered how their files have recorded your name, where do you tap to proceed onward?
Reasoning by analogy from my Kindle Fire’s keyboard, I assumed the conspicuous bright blue Go button would do the trick.
Nope. That’s not it.
After a bit of fumbling around, it turns out to be the dark blue Next button (on the non-contrasting light gray title bar) at the right edge of the title bar.
I betcha I could have fun with some of those little icons…
In fact, the next time we showed up, the iDingus sported a popup asking if I wanted to update the firmware (or some such). Of course, I gave the receptionist an evil grin and tapped “Hit me!”
Word: this app nonsense isn’t ready for prime time.
The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning 
Comments
10 responses to “Patient Sign-In App: Human Factors FAIL”
Your first name isn’t Ed?
For reasons that made perfect sense at the time, I’m Elmer Edward.
Almost as effective as Sue…
The ELP reference sounds dead on. I’ve wanted to do brain salad surgery on some applications. The “programmers” get my dark alley thought…
[computer voice] I’m perfect. Are you?[/sarc]
One benefit: it’s easy to pick out people who know me only through their Official Records… [grin]
And if it were Ed, what’s the first three letters of “Ed”?
Good point. Next time around, I’ll add a space… [heh]
Way too much software is written under perfect conditions or by assumptions made by the programmer as to how the operator will react. I targeted the “next” button first, but then again I have an ipad … no matter. Something needs to be on the same virtual popup screen so there is no question what to do, however it should accept “next” and “go” in the event they are pressed too. I’m sure they appreciated that firmware upgrade. That would have kept it busy for a while.
Repeat after me: It asked, I answered, what happens next Is. Not. My. Problem.
One could argue I acted above my pay grade, but I’d respond that I was just empowered.
It’s so difficult to get the customers trained up properly, isn’t it?
That’s not even an app, it’s a web page styled up to look iOS-ey running in the Safari browser.
Good catch!
If it weren’t a Federal Offense, one might experience considerable enjoyment while playing with the URL bar…